food IS a theme park
Figuring out what to eat on your Disney World vacation can be overwhelming, to say the least. Don’t worry — that’s why we’re here! We try all the restaurants and snacks so you have the best trip possible.
Animal Kingdom Lodge
We headed to Jiko — The Cooking Place at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. Come with us for a full review to see if you should add this to your next Disney World trip.
One of the BEST Disney World hotels for delicious eats is also one of the most underrated.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
You’ve probably heard of all the awesome dishes at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, and the many restaurants at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort are not to be missed. But one of our favorite places to grab a bite is actually Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge! We highly recommend visiting some of the restaurants at this hotel, even if you’re not staying here. We promise — it’s worth the trek. To help you plan your next Disney trip, we’ve got a full list of the BEST places to eat at Animal Kingdom Lodge. [Read more…]
If you’re craving some variety in your meal plans and maybe want to add a bit of a cultural experience to your vacation, Disney World has some options for you (and, no, we’re not talking about EPCOT— we still love you, World Showcase).
Jambo House lobby
Way at the edge of Walt Disney World property, sits Animal Kingdom Lodge — a retreat for the soul and, dare we say, a dining DESTINATION! Because whether you’re staying at this resort or trekking over for a unique dining experience, Animal Kingdom Lodge delivers BIG. The next question is not whether you should plan to dine at an Animal Kingdom Lodge restaurant, but which one!?!
Earth Day has ARRIVED in Disney World, and a great place to celebrate nature and animals is Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge! Disney celebrates holidays big and small, including Earth Day, with specialty treats and more.
Animal Kingdom Lodge is STUNNING!
Today, we’re headed to The Mara in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge to try a FUN new treat! WALL-E fans, you’re gonna like this one. 🌱
Most signature dining experiences in Disney World are known for high prices and high quality; is that a tradeoff you’re willing to make? And while you’re at it, ponder this: are you willing to leave the Disney parks for a meal at a Disney hotel? It’s a tough call! There are TONS of great eats in all four parks, but does the experience compare to a quiet sit-down dinner at a hotel’s signature restaurant?
Talk about DRAMA!
We’re considering all these questions and more as we head over to the newly reopened restaurant, Jiko — The Cooking Place, at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge — Jambo House.
It’s time to come along with us to another reopened restaurant in Disney World!
Animal Kingdom Lodge
Over the past few months, we’ve been eating our way through all of the Disney World restaurants as more and more continue to reopen. Plus, we’ve even been to some more than once to try the ever-changing menus (we’re looking at you, ‘Ohana). And, after spending our morning eating through Disney’s FIRST returning breakfast buffet, we’re headed BACK to Boma — Flavors of Africa in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge for more!
OK y’all — this is pretty big news.
Boma
Remember how Boma is reopening soon at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge? Well, the delicious zebra domes and signature carved meats aren’t all that this restaurant is bringing back to Disney World! BUFFETS (well, at least THIS one!) are BACK!
There’s a new breakfast stop in Disney World!
And it will be an especially welcome option for guests staying at Kidani Village in Animal Kingdom Lodge (the Resort’s home to Disney Vacation Club Villas). Sanaa, which is located in Kidani Village, has been one of our favorite lunch and dinner locations ever since it opened in 2009 due to its lovely atmosphere and unique dishes.
And now it’s a place where you can begin your Disney day as well, since Sanaa is the home of this new breakfast option each morning from 7:00 to 10:00 am.
Things operate a bit differently for breakfast at Sanaa. Sanaa is a Table Service restaurant for Lunch and Dinner; however, breakfast instead features a Counter Service and grab-and-go set-up (similar to The Mara in Animal Kingdom’s Jambo House and typical Counter Service options in Resorts around Disney World).
Sanaa
But food choices carry a bit of their own flair, with the Counter Service options including dishes like the Savanna Platter (two farm fresh eggs any style, tomato chutney, bacon, and Tanzanian Hash Browns), the Boere Breakfast (like the Savanna Platter but with the addition of Boerewors Sausage), a Safari Waffle topped with Seasonal Berries and Chai Whipped Cream (!!), and Fruit Sosatie with quinoa and dried fruit salad. [Read more…]
is a tried-and-true Disney fan destination.
Many guests number it among their must-have advance dining reservations for it’s fun atmosphere, unique menu, and cult favorite dishes.
On a recent visit to Walt Disney World, we had the pleasure of eating at Boma not once — but twice…in the SAME DAY! Yep — we had breakfast and Boma AND dinner at Boma!
While I’ll be sharing the details of our Boma breakfast in a later post, today we’re taking a look at the rockin’ spread available for dinner.
Located at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, Boma is just one of three incredible restaurants at this resort — it’s a true food-lovers haven here.
Boma Sign
You’ll find Boma on the ground floor beneath the lobby level, adjacent to both The Mara and Jiko. (Sanaa is located in nearby Kidani Village.) And while The Mara is the resort’s counter service location, Jiko is a signature restaurant, and Sanaa features a table service fusion of flavors, Boma serves as the resort’s buffet offering.
But while many Disney buffets are more about character interaction than cuisine, a trip to Boma is all about the food. A sign in Animal Kingdom’s lobby provides a little background on the meaning of the restaurant’s name — and encourages you to make your ADR for Boma well in advance!
Boma Background Information
The term boma loosely refers to a fence fashioned of sticks, and you’ll see this motif throughout the restaurant’s interior. A wrought-iron version of a boma borders either side of the wide, winding path into the restaurant.
Walkway into Boma
Here, the fence borders a low wall separating the seating area from the [Read more…]
On a recent whirlwind trip to Disney World, I planned to get together with friends for lunch. I had a hankering for the totally incredible Butter Chicken at Sanaa, so I couldn’t wait to head over there for lunch!
This wonderful restaurant, located at Animal Kingdom Lodge‘s Kidani Village, still flies under the radar. However, in the past, it has been the location of some of my very favorite meals.
And, let me tell you dear DFB readers, it is going to be VERY difficult to edit this review considering how much I want a big ol’ plate of that Butter Chicken right now. I had half a twix bar in preparation, but I don’t think it’s going to do the trick.
That said…we’re off to the races!
You’ll find Sanaa at Kidani Village, the portion of Animal Kingdom Lodge that’s a Disney Vacation Club property.
Outside of Sanaa
The same care and attention to detail that went into the decor of Animal Kingdom Lodge is at play here as well. The soaring lobby greets you with colorful African decor and a thatched roof! I love it!
Kidani Village Lobby
Once you get to the restaurant downstairs, you’ll see why they chose the name. The word “sanaa” is Swahili for art, and is the perfect description of this beautiful spot that marries handcrafted artisan touches with food that’s prepared with care and tradition.
Sanaa is open for lunch and dinner. We suggest lunch or an early dinner for first timers — more about that in a minute.
Sanaa Hours
The entrance features some beautiful, handcrafted African artwork. The beads that line the podium are gorgeous.
Entrance
Look closely at the mats on the wall and you’ll likely spy a Hidden Mickey! We have two more hidden mickeys for you in this post — can you find [Read more…]
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